Successful Blog

5 Tips to Getting the Best Job

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Word Tags Circular Wordcloud Of ResumeIn the job market that is latter 2016; many Americans are keeping their fingers crossed for the New Year.

For many, the hope is that 2017 will produce more job opportunities, opportunities that rise above either part-time work or low salaries for full-time work. Either way, 2016 has been a rough year for many individuals either out of work or working several jobs just to make ends meet.

How many of these workers got in the positions they are in today varies.

For some, they’re stuck in low-paying jobs; jobs that at least help keep a roof over their heads and food on the table. Others, meantime, can’t get their foot in the door for an interview, this after either being let go via layoffs or firings.

If you find yourself in the position of needing a job (or at least a better one at that), what are you doing to improve your odds?

Review Your Approach to Finding Work

For starters, how you go about getting interviews and ultimately offers is as important as anything else you will do.

While there are no guarantees that a stellar resume and/or a great interview will provide you with an offer, they are critical nonetheless.

That said remember these 5 tips to getting the best job possible:

  1. Resume – First and foremost, how good is your resume? Given how competitive the job market is these days, an average resume just won’t cut it. Although you may think you are a wordsmith extraordinaire, you are better off turning to the pros in putting together this critical document. Take note that great resumes can make the difference when searching for that ideal position. Don’t hesitate for a moment to use a professional resume writing service if that is what it will take to get you noticed;
  2. Interview – Once you get your foot in the door for an interview, you simply can’t blow it. The interview will tell a prospective employer much about you. He or she will not only want to know your background and how it benefits their company, but also how you’d work with others. It sounds like commonsense, but you’d be amazed how many people flunk the part of the interview that involves being on time, dressing appropriately etc. Don’t take any of those important tasks for granted.

How Bad Do You Want the Position?

  1. Motivation – Just how motivated are you for the position you’re interviewing for? While some candidates can pull off the fake smile and/or the fake attitude, many others simply can’t. Go into your interview knowing as much as possible about your prospective employer. Without turning the interview around on them, ask pertinent questions about the position, the company, the staff etc. When someone sees you’re motivated, it tends to rub off positively on you;
  2. Personality – Even though it is great to be motivated about a potential job (you should be), don’t go overboard. Most employers and/or recruiters can see through someone’s fake exterior. While you should definitely show interest in the job and the people working there, don’t lay it on too thickly;
  3. Follow-up – After your interview, be sure to send a thank you note to the employer and/or recruiter. Letting them know (in writing) that you appreciated their time can go a long way. Even if you don’t get the position this time around, another one could open down the road. When an employer sees that you took a few minutes to thank them for having you in, it can separate you from others not choosing to do so.

Finding the right job in today’s world can prove challenging, but would you have it any other way?

Accepting the challenge and meeting it head-on can do wonders for you. If you’re still looking for the right job, don’t give up hope.

Remember…. quitters never win, winners never quit.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers business topics on the web.

Educate Yourself on Importance of eLearning for Business

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Businessman Gear SuccessIt’s time to educate yourself on the importance of e-learning for business.

Both employers and employees can benefit from taking online courses. The choice of courses is almost limitless.

Whether you are seeking to obtain a certification, a degree, or simply to increase your knowledge in a particular area, e-learning offers a way to achieve those ambitions.

Convenience of eLearning

E-learning offers flexibility for students.

Enrolled students can log on to their classroom dashboard from any place with an Internet connection.

So when a business owner has an employee in the field who they want to enroll in an e-learning course, that employee doesn’t need to come in from the field in order to sit in a classroom and learn.

Timing is also a huge benefit to e-learning courses.

Most often, there is no time limit for how long a student can take to finish any one course, or to get their final certification. In cases where there is a time limit, it’s usually quite liberal.

After all, e-learning courses are specifically designed to meet the needs of students who have other major demands on their time, such as raising a family or working a full-time job.

Location is another valuable benefit for most e-learning students.

Armed with a laptop and a set of ear buds or headphones, students can engage with their course work outside in a park, in the employee break lounge, on public transit, or anywhere else they find themselves with extra time to spare.

How eLearning Benefits Employers

Even if employers don’t enroll in e-learning courses themselves, their businesses will benefit when employees are motivated enough to take e-learning courses.

Employers can greatly enhance their talent resources when they encourage and reward employees for taking e-learning courses.

As the following article looks at, there are 3 basic needs for inspiring motivation in eLearning.

The first one is accessibility. Having the courses be accessible to the employees is a key part of making sure everyone is treated fairly in regards to the opportunity.

One great way to ensure this is to post news about the e-learning opportunities in employee newsletters, in company emails and on office bulletin boards. This is also a terrific way for employers to protect themselves against the possibility of discrimination suits.

A second way to motivate employees to take up e-learning is to make it relatable to their job success. It is in this way that employers can really benefit from helping all their employees to do better in their job performance.

Any industry can benefit from employees who are more educated in terms of dealing with the issues that come up in their job.

For example, a factory worker would benefit from courses that teach about automation. A salesperson would benefit from courses about purchasing behavior. A retail clerk would benefit from courses regarding preventing shoplifting.

Finally, employers can motivate employees to enroll in e-learning by offering rewards based on measurable goals.

When employees see that they can be promoted or earn more money by taking e-learning courses, everyone benefits.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

About the Author: Kate Supino writes about best business practices.

Should You Try and Hire the Competition’s Talent?

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Competition isn’t just reserved for sports, sometimes in the business world; you have to be willing to go that extra mile to solidify your company as one to be reckoned with.

As a small business owner one of the toughest challenges is hiring the right executives and CEO whose is going to beneficial to the company and actually make things happen.

Of course you only want the best of the best. Sometimes that best may be someone who is working for your competition. These industry professionals have the experience, the skills and the valuable contacts that can possibly take your company to a higher level.

Risks of Taking The Competition’s Talent

How can you steal them from their current employer while being tactful?

Before you formulate any kidnapping plans it’s important for you to know the associated risks. The specific employer could be under some type of contract so you will have to work around that.

You could also easily become known as an employee poacher or even worse; that you like to “play dirty”.

Stay Subtle

First, you should start off subtle.

Being that you are in the same industry as the rival company, more than likely you’ll have some of the same or similar contacts. You can let these contacts know that you are currently interesting in hiring an experienced employee. Casually mention the perks you are willing to offer for the “right” person.

When your contacts hear that you are hiring they may pass that along the grapevine and the information may find itself to the right person.

Get Professional

Another great option is to acquire the services of a professional executive search firm.

An executive search firm specializes in recruiting candidates that have experience in working in highly specialized positions within a company.

You can let the search firm know that you are interested in a particular person. They will approach the person from the rival company and discuss with them a possible job opportunity.

Also, remember that you have to have something great you can offer this possible new employee to motivate them to want to work with your small business. This could be a pay raise or a high position of authority.

Hiring a search firm prevents you from immediately having to reveal your identity. This protects vital relationships with business partners because the search firm is the one doing the recruiting.

Check and Recheck

Also you may want to have a background check completed on that specific employee. You want to make sure that they really are worth the risk. Although, most corporate employees don’t have a criminal history, you should still check for one.

If this skilled worker, agrees to take a meeting or interview with your company you should be very direct and upfront with them. Let them know why you feel they will be a great asset to your company and also how your business can help them grow.

Inquire about any non-disclosure or contract agreements they have with their current employer.

Finally, consult with your lawyer to get a good understanding of your options.

Photo credit: techcrunch.com

About the Author: Tina Samuels writes on how to get to the top of Google, social media, marketing, and small business topics.

Don’t Tax Yourself on Getting Taxes Together

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It is that time of year that just about everyone other than tax accounts dread.

Yes, time to gather up all those papers and try and figure out if you will be getting a gift from Uncle Sam, or perhaps giving him a little something instead. Either way, doing your taxes can be quite taxing, pardon the pun if you will

So, how can the average worker avert the desire to bang their head up against the wall until they render themselves unconscious?

Let’s start by categorizing workers into two groups – full-time employees and contractors.

If you find yourself in the former, the best advice is to:

* Check with your employer if your tax document is late or if the numbers do not add up. Given the move to 2013, many workers noticed a change in their paychecks earlier this month. A payroll tax increase has led to many workers cutting back on expenses for the time being, that being the culmination of a two-year cut on taxes which fund Social Security. For those unaware, the tax jumped back up to 6.2 percent from the previous 4.2 percent. Keep in mind that your employer is required to finalize your W-2 to report wages, tips, and other compensation you received during the last year by Jan. 31;

* Already think about next tax season – As you are either preparing to or currently working on your taxes for the 2012 work year, pay attention. You may want to make some changes going forward this year to assist you with your 2013 taxes. Whether you want to change certain deduction amounts or how many people can be claimed, review the last 12 months to see if you can change your paycheck to better benefit you over time.

Self-Employed Workers Need to Deduct What They Can

For those workers who are self-employed, they probably enjoyed not seeing taxes deducted from their checks or cash payouts these last 12 months. As most know, however, the time has come due to pay up.

While you have to pay federal, state and local taxes like many other folks, there are savings sitting there for you if you know where to look for them.

If you work from home, remember that you can deduct items like mileage, electricity, phone bill, any purchases that went towards your work efforts like a new computer, printer or fax machine, office supplies etc. You can also deduct travel expenses such as airfare, rental cars, hotels and more if they were accrued during your work time. Lastly, you may be able to deduct a portion of your rent, insurance, etc. if your home is the main base for any business you run and/or work you do for an employer.

The most important facet of all of this talk is making sure you have kept proper records over the last 12 months.

Are you one to save and organize receipts or are you the individual who will be scurrying around April 14 looking for such items?

Whether this tax season brings you a gift or not, be prepared to get your taxes done over the coming weeks, meaning that April 15 does not stare you down like a whole in the wall.

Photo credit: addictinginfo.org

About the Author: With 23 years’ writing experience, Dave Thomas covers a variety of business and consumer topics, including payroll outsourcing.

Make Your Reputation Count When Searching for a Job

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With millions of Americans still searching for work, the stars in many cases have to align perfectly to land that coveted job.

While you can have years of experience, a desire to get the job done yesterday and not tomorrow, and the ability to work well with others, what could possibly be holding you back? Perhaps your reputation?

In today’s 24/7 Internet age, it just takes one unenviable image or statement to get online and cost you a potential job. As more and more companies turn to researching prospective applicants online, job seekers need to make sure their history is not something that will come back to bite them in the end.

Estimates indicate that more than 40 percent of resumes include false or altered information when they arrive on the desk or computer of an employer. Given that figure, is it any wonder more businesses are spending extra time checking out just who their next employee may be?

For the prospective employee, turning to services such as Reputation.com allows them to acquire personal information discovered on different blogs, photo sites, news outlets and social networking venues like Facebook and Twitter. Remember, it just takes one bad comment or image to kill a potential job.

As an example, say you are college grad entering the workforce for the first time. Your grades were super, you did a variety of charitable functions during your four years in school, and you come highly recommended by your professors and even an employer or two where you may have interned or worked part-time. Think that the coast is clear?

Wait a minute…. remember that silly comment you made on Twitter a couple of years ago where you admitted to shoplifting something from a store? Remember the photo you had taken at a frat party that was more than just a tad compromising? Lastly, remember that innocent comment you made on Facebook last year about someone’s ethnicity? Any or all of these scenarios could doom you if a potential employer discovers them through a  simple background check.

To start the process of better understanding your online image, do a simple Google search of your name and see what comes up.

In the event there are issues to be dealt with, using a reputation service company will allow you to put out more positive information about yourself and how you can help a prospective employer. By doing so, such information will move to the front of search-engine results, while pushing the negative details down.

In a world where your reputation can mean the difference between a job and unemployment, don’t bank on assuming your online reputation is squeaky clean.

Photo credit: scoop.it

Dave Thomas has more than 20 years’ experience as a writer, covering news, sports marketing, SEO, press releases, social media and more. 

 

 

Social Media and Its Impact on Resumes

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In this day and age when social media is all the rage, it behooves those either out of work and looking for a job or those looking to change out of their present positions to utilize social media on their resumes.

Quite simply, social media can go a long way in helping job seekers further place their foot in the door with a company of their choosing, especially those who grasp this form of communication.

So, how should you go about linking the various aspects of social media and your resume?

Among the ways to do it are:

  • Make sure you are using Facebook and Twitter for starters – Given that Facebook and Twitter reportedly have around a billion users between the two of them, it only makes sense to be seen and heard on both. Facebook is a great tool to share valuable information with prospective employers by befriending their companies. Once you’re able to do that, you can supply them with pertinent links to your work, be it full-time, part-time and/or internships. With Twitter, the same can be true, but be sure to use related hashtags such as #employment, #jobsearch, #careers etc. to network with potential employers or those who may know of an opening you would be qualified for. Sometimes it can be as simple as an alum of your college seeing you on Twitter of Facebook, knowing of a qualified opening, and forwarding you the details;
  • Put together a video resume – Whether your job will involve technical things like video does not matter, use video to express your qualifications. Unlike the old paper resume or even today’s electronic version, adding video to your resume gives a prospective employer the opportunity to see you in a visual light before you might even step inside his or her office for an interview. Yes, you may be a little shy in front of the camera, but this means of reaching out to employers can help get you in the door for an interview. Use sites like YouTube, Facebook and Twitter to name a few to promote the career video in an effort to get it in front of as many eyes possible;
  • Provide a Web site and/or web host for your resume – Some individuals have taken to making their own professional Web sites as part of their career aspirations. This too is a great way to get your name out there in the electronic world, whether it is your own site or by selecting a professional resume hosting platform;
  • Link up with your resume – Remember to provide links on your resume to the different social media tools that you use, including Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. By doing so, potential employers can visit your URLs and hopefully see some of your creativity at work;
  • Clean up any social media issues – Those of us who have Twitter, Facebook and other social media tools at our disposal have undoubtedly posted something at one time or another we’re not too proud of. Before sending your electronic resume out to countless or even one prospective employer, be sure there are no social media gaffes that can come back to bite you;
  • Highlight social media experience – Given the fact that more businesses are using social media these days in their operations, any social media experience you bring to the table can be beneficial to you. In the event you currently blog, tweet, share etc. be sure to list your experience, including with working with things like HTML, WordPress, Blogspot, Dreamweaver, Tumblr and more.

The day and age of mailing off a resume or faxing it to a potential employer still exists in some circles, but those circles keep dwindling. Nowadays, having the social wherewithal to promote yourself means you have a much better chance of getting in for an interview than not.

Most importantly, don’t be anti-social when it comes to helping yourself attain the job you really want.

Photo credit: mensfitness.com

Dave Thomas, who covers among other items starting a business and workers compensation, writes extensively for Business.com, an online resource destination for businesses of all sizes to research, find, and compare the products and services they need to run their businesses.